Trace-holder.



(Application filed. Apr. 1, 1899.)

(No Model.)

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JEIIIEL FRANKLIN IVYNKOOP, OF MARENGO, ILLINOIS.

TRACE-HOLDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 632,614, dated September 5, 1899.

Application filed April 1,1899. Serial No. 711,336. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEHIEL FRANKLIN \VYNKOOP, a citizen of the United States, residing at Marengo, in the county of McHenry and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Trace-Holder, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to trace-fasteners for fastening or holding a trace to a singletree hook or button. Heretofore similar devices have been provided, as in my Patent No. 485,825, dated November 8, 1892, in the form of a substantially U-shaped loop having the free ends of its sides pivoted to the singletree and its bend embracing the trace to prevent the latter from being displaced from the hook or button. Also the sides of this trace holdin g-loop have been extended beyond the opposite side of the singletree and formed into a smaller loop or keeper which is adapted to receive the free end of the trace and confine it alongside of the singletree. In the latter case the trace-holding loop and the keeper are formed integral and on account of this integral construction cannot be fitted to all forms of singletrees, for the reason that the metal ferrules or caps carrying the trace hooks or buttons varyin shape and are not all adapted for the application of such a device. To obviate these conditions, the present form of trace-fastener has been invented, having for its object to make the trace-holding loop separate from the keeper, whereby they may be combined or the trace holding-loop may be used separately, as described.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of the device applied to one end of a singletree. Fig. 2 is a reverse plan view thereof. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View taken through the pivotal connection of the device. Fig. 4 is a detail perspective view of the trace-holding loop. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective view of the keeper.

Corresponding parts are designated by like reference characters in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, 1 designates an end of a singletree, having a metallic cap or ferrule 2 fitted thereto and carrying the usual trace-hook or button 3.

The trace-holding loop is shown in detailin Fig. at and is formed from a single length of fiat metal bent intermediate of its ends to provide the side arms 4 and the transverse head 5, connecting the arms and providing a substantially U-shaped loop. That portion of the arms 6 adjacent to the head 5 is straight and the remaining portion of the arms is bent inward, as shown. At its free end each arm is provided with a flat circular enlargement 7, one of which is provided with a circular opening 8 and the other with a squared or angular opening 9, the openings being alined transversely. The circular enlargement having the circular opening 8 is provided with a lug or tongue 10, which is capable of being bent outward and forms a stopshoulder. The loop thus formed is fitted to the sin gletree by engaging the respective arms against the'opposite upper and lower sides of the singletree and passing a bolt 11 through the openings 8 and 9 and through the singletree. A portion of the bolt, as at 12, next to the head thereof, is angular and adapted to be fitted into the angular opening9 of one of the arms of the loop, and the opposite threaded end of the bolt projects beyond the arm and is provided with a nut 13, whereby the loop is pivotally connected to the singletree. The lug or tongue 10 is bent outwardly, as hereinbefore described, and is adapted to engage against one edge of the nut 13 to prevent the same from being accidentally turned upon the bolt, and the latter is prevented from turning by reason of its angular portion fitting in the angular opening in one of the arms of the loop.

To engage the trace 14 with the singletree hook or button, the loop is thrown forward upon its pivot and away from the singletree, and the end of the trace is passed through the loop and engaged with the hook or button. Then the loop is thrownback against the singletree. In this position the head or bend 5 of the loop prevents the trace from being displaced laterally outward from the singletree and is held at the outer end thereof by the convergent side arms of the loop.

Should it be desired to employakeeper for the free end of the trace, Ihave provided one, as shown in detail in Fig. 5. This keeper 15 is a substantial duplicate of the trace-holdin g loop; but the side arms are very much shorter than those of the latter. The arms have similar circular enlargements 16, one being provided With a circular opening and the other With an angular opening to receive the bolt 11, as described, for the trace-holding loop. This keeper is applied to the opposite side of the singletree, with its arms embracing the arms of the trace-holding loop and held in place by the individual bolt 11. It will be noted that at the head end of the bolt the two loops are relatively fixed or connected together by the angular portion of the bolt, and at the opposite end of thebolt the lug 10, which is bent alongside of the nut, also engages the end of the adjacent arm of the keeper, Wherebythe latter arm is fixed to the trace-holding loop, and the two loops are fixedly connected together in a rigid manner. The free end of the trace is adapted to be placed in this loop and held out of the Way.

By reason of the construction and arrangement as hereinbefore described the twoloops are rigidly connected together practically into an integral structure, yet permitting of the trace-holding loop being applied to a singletree without the employment of the keeper, and vice versa, as desired.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and. the minor details of construction within the scope of the appended claim maybe resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the present invention.

Having thus described the invention, What is claimed is- In a device of the class described, the combination with a singletree, of a trace-holding loop of substantially U shape, having one free end provided with an angular opening, the

other end having a circular opening formed therein and alined with the angular opening, the latter end having a lug or tongue bent to form a stop, a separate looped keeper having alined circular and angular openings provided in its respective'arms, and a pivot-bolt connecting the trace-holding loop and the keeper, having at one end an angular portion adapted to be received within the angular openings-of the two loops, and a nut fitted to the opposite endof the bolt, the lug being adapted to be bent against the nut and the adjacent arm of the keeper, whereby the latter and the trace-holding loop are fixedlyconneoted together, and are capable of separation and individual use, substantially as shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

JEHIEL FRANKLIN WYNKOOP. lVitnesses:

E. D. PATRICK, P. W. ATTIOK. 

